From Mark's Desk

One of the questions I hear often is whether I can handle the budget that comes with the sheriff’s office. And I understand why people ask it. The budget is serious. It’s responsibility. It involves real tax dollars, real community needs, personnel, facilities, equipment, fleet expenses, safety measures, and long-term planning. So yes, a sheriff absolutely needs to know how to manage money with clarity, discipline, foresight, and accountability. But I want to put something into perspective: The $5.8 million budget for the Boone County Sheriff’s Office is small compared to the scale I’ve operated under in catastrophic work.

For nearly two decades in the insurance and investigative world, I’ve worked events where the financial resources weren’t just large, they were virtually unlimited. When an insurance carrier is staring at hundreds of millions, sometimes billions in losses, they don’t play games. They expect precision, cost analysis, correct decisions, and leadership that understands how to allocate resources properly. I’ve been one they trusted to do that.

I’ve seen budgets dwarf $5.8 million so dramatically that $5.8 million starts looking like a McDonald’s run when you’ve handled catastrophic-scale finances. That statement wasn’t made to dismiss the responsibility it was made to explain that I’m not intimidated by it.

I’ve worked in environments where repair costs, asset valuation, structural deterioration, and replacement planning had to be judged with precision, because one bad analysis could cost millions. That’s “insurance to value,” and the same mindset applies to county facilities, patrol fleet cycles, building upkeep, and long-term cost control. Which is why I’ve said the sheriff’s office isn’t just about tickets or patrol. It’s an administrative role responsible for maintaining critical infrastructure, prioritizing funds, keeping equipment current, managing personnel, anticipating future costs, and using the budget wisely so the community’s assets are protected today and years down the road.

To be clear: I don’t take $5.8 million lightly. It is real money entrusted by real people. But when you’ve been responsible for analyzing catastrophic loss, evaluating rebuilds, negotiating expense structures, investigating claims with no cost ceiling, and coordinating repair operations under extreme circumstances, a transparent county budget is not intimidating, it’s familiar. That’s why I feel confident addressing it. The sheriff’s office budget isn’t a roadblock, it’s a tool. And when used correctly buildings stay upright, equipment gets replaced before it fails, vehicles remain reliable, staff are supported, funds are allocated where they actually belong, and long-term costs are anticipated instead of ignored. Fiscal responsibility isn’t an afterthought. It’s leadership.